It is a thick paper-like
material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus,
a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt.
Papyrus is first known to have been used in ancient Egypt (at least
as far back as the First Dynasty), but it was also used throughout
the Mediterranean region.

Ink

The special ink prepared
for the writing is called D'yo (דיו).
Maimonides wrote in the Laws of Tefillin 1:4 that the D'yo is prepared
in the following way: “One collects the vapor of oils, of tar, of
wax, or the like, and kneads it together with sap from a tree and
a drop of honey. It is moistened extensively, crushed until it is
formed into flat cakes, dried, and then stored. When one desires
to write with it, one soaks it in gallnut juice or the like and
writes with it. Thus, if one attempts to rub it out, he would be
able to. This is the ink with which it is most preferable to write
scrolls, tefillin, and mezuzot. If however one wrote any of the
three with gallnut juice or vitriol, which remains without being
rubbed out, it is acceptable.”

Parchment

1.
Calfskin parchment

2. Cowskin parchment
(Gewil)

3.
Goatskin parchment

4.
Deerskin parchment

Parchment
in Jewish Tradition

No other culture is more
closely associated with papyrus then ancient Egypt. And no other
culture is more closely associated with parchment than Jewish culture
throughout the ages. The phenomenon of continuous use of parchment
in our religion has been passed on from generation to generation
for more than 3,000 years. This period spans from the biblical time
of Prophets to the present day.

Once upon a time, parchment was mankind’s principle writing material.

What role does parchment play the in the life of a Jew, his family
and community?

On the right doorpost at the entrance to any ordinary Jewish home
you will see a special case. It contains a small parchment with
two Hebrew passages from the Pentateuch and it is called a Mezuzah.
The Mezuzah is also
affixed to the doorposts inside the house. (Figure 2)
When a Jewish boy celebrates his Bar Mitzvah aged 13, he receives
Tefillin – special leather, cube-shaped signs.
Placed inside are small parchment scrolls, written in Hebrew, with
four short sections from the Pentateuch.

In the synagogue of every Jewish community, be it in Israel or the
Diaspora, the Holy Ark contains Torah scrolls made
from parchment. The Torah scroll is read publicly four times during
a regular week, and daily during holidays. A medium size Torah scroll
requires 60 – 70 skins on which the holy text is written. A well
established synagogue may have several Torah scrolls, each one handwritten
on parchment. In addition to community Torah scrolls, many private
individuals write or acquire a personal Torah scroll.
In ancient times, the kings of Israel, David and Solomon et al,
had their own royal Torah scrolls which were with them constantly.
Other holy biblical texts are written on parchment and read publicly
in the synagogue on the appropriate festival. The most prominent
example is the Scroll of Esther
which is read on the Festival of Purim.
Holy manuscripts can only be written on parchment that is made from
hide of kosher species of animals. This includes cows, sheep, goats
or deer; papyrus or paper is unsuitable. (Figure 4)
Strength, durability and the beauty of parchment all contributed
to the expansion of its use. Traditional documents that can be written
on paper, such as the wedding Ketubah,
are sometimes written on parchment. Since the days of the Renaissance
lavish illuminated Ketubah documents have been written on vellum.
From the Middle Ages to the present day, the Passover Haggadah has
been scribed on parchment as a family heirloom for wealthy Jewish
families.

The popularity and demand for parchment in the Jewish world, for
both religious practice and religious art, explains why Israel has
become a world leader in the production and use of parchment in
the modern world.

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Quill

The Kulmus (קולמוס)
is the feather or reed used for the writing. The original source
of the word stems from the Greek “Κάλαμος” The feathers need to
be obtained from a large bird, today the feathers of turkeys are
most often used for this purpose.